E3 2014: EA Games Press Conference: New STAR WARS, MASS EFFECT, More!

By Lucas Siegel, Site Editor June 9, 2014 11:50am ET

Screenshot from Dragon Age Inquisition

Credit: BioWare/EA

See what EA has in store for the next year and beyond as we cover their panel at E3 live! Don't like reading and able to have the sound on at work? Check out the live stream video of the presentation right here, too! Just scroll to the bottom for the livestream, or read through for our liveblog.

Peter Moore took the stage briefly to welcome press. He teased Dragon Age: Inquisition, the next Battlefield, and "starting out with something that will make your hair stand up."

The lights dimmed, and Star Wars music was playing as they defended onto DICE Studios. “We at DICE have the opportunity of a lifetime, to make the Star Wars game we dreamed about.”

Early in-engine footage was shown of snow speeders flying around. “We have an experienced team, an extraordinary collaboration with Lucasfilm. Above all, it’s our passion for Star Wars that will bring this legacy to life like never before.”

Star Wars: Battlefront. “See more Spring 2015.”

With that, CEO Andrew Wilson took the stage to kick off the presentation.

Wilson thanked DICE for starting off the presentation that way.

”We’ll explore interesting worlds, epic landscapes and ridiculous action,” Wilson said to the audience. He said EA has “a commitment to put our players first.” With that, he brought us into Dragon Age Inquisition “and then a look at two other projects from BioWare.”

A live cellist accompanied the trailer from beneath the screen, and was joined by a recorded full orchestral score. The scenes on the screen were mostly of environments, with a few shots of our heroes and of course, some dragons.

Aaryn Flynn, the Studio General Manager, said Dragon Age Inquisition “marks the beginning of the next generation of BioWare games.” The game will feature multiple combat modes, and a live gameplay demo was shown. The demo featured switching between party members while keeping the action up. The tactical camera pauses time and lets you queue up attacks and positioning for your party. A first look at the team of heroes finished the Dragon Age section of the presentation.

Next, Mass Effect music started playing and there's a behind-the-scenes look at the next game! BioWare's Casey Hudson and Mac Walters talk about the new places, new characters - it's in a whole new region of space. A faceless soldier in N7 armor was shown, and a roaring Krogan warrior.

While Montreal Studio is working on the new Mass Effect, the Edmonton team is working on a completely new IP. A sonwy forest enfironment was shown, and then shown into different seasons and times. Lots of applause for the tease.

The Sims 4 was next, with a look at the new create-a-sim which includes traits to give your Sims more personality. A storyline was shown for a new character, designed to demo the emotions and traits in action. You’ll be able to download other players creations - including characters complete with their traits, directly into your game. The game hits PC on September 2, 2014.

A clip of Bruce Lee talking about his fighting style, showing his inclusion in the UFC franchise, as they call him the “founder of mixed martial arts.” Creative Director Brian Hayes came on stage to demo Bruce Lee versus BJ Penn in fifth round match. Penn takes Lee down to the ground to start trying to make Lee submit. Lee’s kicks and cage jumps are incredible, and Lee knocks out Penn with a huge boot to the head. The game hits stores next week.

Next from EA Sports is NHL 15, with Dean Richards on stage. “Almost everything” will change when the game comes to the PS4 and Xbox One for the first time this fall. “You’ll have more control than ever before.” There are physics on all twelve players and the puck, there are more detailed arenas. Gameplay was shown in a pre-recorded demo. The game looks incredibly detailed with high renders of the players.

Criterion Games had the next pre-recorded “behind-the-scenes” look at an early game. They’re taking what they learned from games like Burnout Paradise and adding things like ATVs, Planes, Jetskis, Helicopters, Flying suits, and more. They're showing how players will be able to, in first person, go from vehicle to vehicle and pull off amazing stunts, crashes, and more.

Cam Weber, Studio Group General Manager at EA Sports was next on stage. EA Sports PGA Tour will use the Frostbite 3 engine, have no load times between holes, and features fully rendered environments that let you explore every inch of the course. "This is golf without limits." There are famous courses, as well as "Extreme fantasy courses" like an active warzone. That's coming Spring 2015.

Madden NFL 15 introduces new modes for defense. You can do a behind-the-back view, and have much better pass rush and block-shedding moves. A tiered tackle button lets you use your actual skills and timing to take down your opponent. "You have more control on Defense than ever before." There are also hundreds of new player emotions and reactions that play out in real-time on the field, directed by a cinematographer from NFL Films. Madden 15 launches August 26, 2015. A defense-focused trailer ran to finish that section of the presentation, including Richard Sherman knocking the ball away from Michael Crabtree.

Dawngate, their MOBA got a spotlight pre-recorded video.

DICE was back, with a new look at Mirror's Edge 2. The behind-the-scenes look focused on Faith's design for the game. They put cameras on parkour artists and used that to help build the moveset more for the sequel. The levels are being opened up, and will focus a bit more on story. Mirror's Edge 2 is in development now.

Next was FIFA 15. Players have memories, and their emotions will build based on what happens throughout the match. New stutters and strides help to make a more realistic game, as well as increased physics for the ball. There's a "living pitch" that is also affected by weather conditions and wear and tear during the match. Launching this fall.

EA and Visceral brought the action back with a shooter - Battlefield Hardline, a Battlefield game featuring cops. Karl Troedsson and Steve Papoutsis from DICE and Visceral took the stage together. The game is "Cops and criminals, good guys versus bad guys." The campaign of the game was described as "like a great TV crime drama." A thirty-two player multiplayer match in "Heist" mode was teased. A team of criminals is trying to get away with the loot, while the cops are trying to stop them. The footage was in downtown LA, and starts with the criminals beginning their break-in of an armored truck. Based on the controller buttons, it was being played on a PS4 build. A well-placed rocket shot brought the overpass down on a couple of cops. As police, you can kill criminals, or you can take them down non-lethaly for a bonus. The constant motion and actviely trying to get away does change the way the game is played. You can hijack other vehicles on the street as a criminal, like a gas truck to use as a massive explosive. Of course, it wouldn't be Battlefield without a massive collapse of a building, and the footage didn't dissappoint with a crane smashing into a high rise and both coming down. The criminals looked like they had won, until a police helicopter shot them down, leading to an arrest. Lots of applause to that one.

The Battlefield Hardline beta launches TODAY on PC and PS4. PS4 players can highlight their copy of Battlefield 4 and see the beta for download right there in the news.